Judy Murray said that it is "completely wrong" there are "so few women in senior leadership roles" at the Lawn Tennis Association, according to the BBC. Britain's former Fed Cup captain "believes there must be more women at the top of the national governing body" if female involvement in tennis in the U.K. is to grow. She said, "There probably haven't been anywhere near enough opportunities for women to develop -- not just in coaching roles, but throughout the entire organization. If you look at our leadership team at the moment within the LTA [eight people on the executive team plus head coaches Leon Smith and Jeremy Bates] -- there is only one woman, and that's the lady who runs the human resources department." The disparity between the number of male and female coaches is "starkly illustrated in the professional game." Britain's top three women -- Johanna Konta, Heather Watson and Naomi Broady -- "have taken on male coaches in recent months -- principally because there is a much bigger pool to choose from" (BBC, 3/8).
ON THE DECLINE: SKY SPORTS' Dev Trehan reported the number of women in senior leadership roles in U.K. sports governance has fallen by 6% since '14, according to the findings of a survey published on Int'l Women’s Day. Women in Sport's seventh annual audit of women in leadership roles in national governing bodies -- titled Beyond 30% -- also concluded that "around half" of NGBs funded by Sport England and UK Sport have less than 30% of their boards comprised of women. As part of the Code for Sports Governance, which comes into effect on April 1, sports boards must meet a minimum 30% gender diversity target "or risk losing their public funding." Women in Sport CEO Ruth Holdaway said, "The sport sector now clearly understands its responsibility to the public that funds it; its responsibility to be representative of that public" (SKY SPORTS, 3/8).
NEW VISION: World Rugby announced a renewed commitment to further the profile, development, sustainability and success of the women’s game. Under the guidance of the Women’s Advisory Committee, World Rugby will commence a consultation process with players, fans, unions, regional associations and commercial and broadcast partners. Designed to capture the needs of a game that continues to experience record growth, it will lead to a '17-25 plan for women’s rugby. World Rugby will work with the rugby community to:
- Increase participation through sustainable development.
- Build high performance through quality competition.
- Drive inspirational leadership and inclusive governance.
- Build an impactful profile, breaking down barriers.
- Grow audience and investment (World Rugby).
RFU REFUSAL: In London, Ben Rumsby reported the Rugby Football Union has refused to follow the FA in "committing to a deadline" to make 30% of its board female. The RFU was "planning to adhere to the letter -- though not necessarily the spirit" -- of the Government’s Code for Sports Governance by agreeing to "adopt a target, and take all appropriate actions to encourage," a minimum of 30% of each gender on its board. The RFU, which last year "overtook the FA to become the country’s biggest money-making national governing body, is arguably even less diverse than its football counterpart" and in "just as much danger" of being stripped of millions of pounds of public money if it fails to address that (
TELEGRAPH, 3/7).
IN NEW ZEALAND: REUTERS' Greg Stutchbury reported the decision by captain Abby Erceg to walk away from the New Zealand women’s football team at the age of 27 "did not come as a shock to sports academic Sarah Leberman." Erceg "believes New Zealand Football did not value the Football Ferns, who routinely make Olympics and World Cup tournaments, as highly as the men’s team." Leberman: "The reality is that if you are a woman and a top athlete, it’s very difficult to make a living from your sport" (REUTERS, 3/8).
INVESTMENT PAYING OFF: In Sydney, Loukas Founten reported Australian cricket captain Meg Lanning, "the best female batter in the world," is being idolized by a "new generation of cricket talent." Thanks to a A$4M ($3M) investment by Cricket Australia over four years, "more and more girls are taking up the game and for the first time more are able to play with and against other girls." Less than a year after the Growing Cricket For Girls Fund was introduced, 524 girls teams have joined 46 new all-girls cricket competitions (ABC, 3/7).
ON A ROLL: In Edinburgh, Duncan Smith reported women’s rugby "is on a roll in Scotland" and the Scottish Rugby Union is using Int'l Women’s Day to "encourage more to get involved in the flourishing female game." The SRU made history last summer when clubs elected the SRU's first female VP, Dee Bradbury, in 153 years. Following the "historic vote," Bradbury, who is the mother of Edinburgh and Scotland flanker Magnus, "also became" the first female VP of a Tier 1 rugby nation and a major sport in Scotland (SCOTSMAN, 3/8).
